The most popular EV model in the history of the automotive industry is entering its second generation in existence and the Nissan brand has announced the numbers we expect to see for this new vehicle. The new 2018 Nissan Leaf will show up in the early part of next year and will become the third in a trio of affordable EV models to make it to the market. This new generation puts the Leaf in competition with the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Tesla Model 3 that have both been able to capture our attention and offer us long range affordable models.

The Real Challenge

In reality, until Tesla is able to fill the orders they currently have, the new Leaf will only have to compete with the Chevy Bolt. The price of the new Leaf comes in at $29,990 which is much less than that Bolt before the tax credit that’s offered. It’s even more affordable if you can find this an older, more gently used Nissan model as well. While much less expensive, the Leaf does offer a 150 mile range on a single full charge. This range could be enough for most owners to decide the Leaf is the right car for them to have the ride desired on a regular day.

The charging of the new Leaf will take around eight hours with a normal charger but could be completed in a much shorter amount of time with fast charging. The updated Level 2 charger is offered in the S and SV trims as an option and is standard on the SL trim to make sure you can charge this car quickly. The Leaf will have the ability to reach a top speed of 87 mph which makes it a car you can take on the highway, but its more at home in the city. In the 2019 model year Nissan has promised a larger battery pack with more power to make sure the range can be extended.

Tech Galore

Yes, the Chevy Bolt offers you 88 more miles of driving range than the new Leaf, and that might be a good reason to choose the Blot, but the Nissan Leaf has a lot of tech to offer you. This new EV offers the benefit of the Nissan ProPilot Assist which is a semi-autonomous technology. This tech is made to control the acceleration, braking and steering inputs to aid in your driving enjoyment. You will also have the benefit of the ProPilot Park which is a self-parking system using an e-Pedal to make it possible to accelerate and decelerate while braking by simply releasing the pedal.

Inside the cabin is an upgraded model brings you a new TFT instrument display with a high definition seven-inch infotainment system that brings you the benefits of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even at the lower trims you’re going to find a six-inch display in the center stack. The new Leaf is an amazing step forward for the EV model that we’ve admired for the past few years. This car will show up soon and be ready for you to choose this as the car you want to enjoy out on the road.